Charleston Climbing and the High Desert

Lots of excellent climbing in the Spring Mountains - brush up on your 5.12+ before venturing out....

... this is the 'Hood' area just off the 'Canyon' trail, about a half mile from the trailhead...

... steep limestone - all bolt protected 'sport' climbing (I guess anything else isn't sporting)...

... nice view across the canyon...

... ran into this 'couple' - were "warming-up" on a 5.12 or two before heading into the "caves" for some .14's (?!!) - had a really cool dog tagging along - was a little older and was roaming about like he was raised there - thought he was a stray when I first ran into him - not the case - they had a whole area laid out for him - bed, bowl, bones - why are all these young "modern" climbers I run into such nice, affable people, and damn good athletes ta' boot... it's just like "have fun man and leave the place the way ya' found it, or better" -  remind me of a few others I know...

... another canyon view...

... one of the 'caves'...

... a peak inside - check out the many "draws" identifying the climbing...

... was late spring - some type of flowering cactus...

... couple other guys - only other people out that day.. think they're on a "Charleston 5.6" (I think the grade scale resets at 5.10 up there)...

... left the 'Hood' and drove up to 'Robber's Roost' - no one there - more horizontal stuff - probably 80ft distance out to that last "draw" in this "cave" - I was gonna check out the holds to the start to this route - couldn't find any - just some chalk marks...

... still some snow in the shadows - a miniature 'glacier'...

... relax - some walls there as well for easier 5.13 climbing...

... had to leave - headin' back down 'Highway 156' and the high desert - lookin' back at 'Mummy Mountain'...

... the high desert - coolest place on earth...

... ditto...

... some type of flowering desert shrub (I guess)... nice...

... they call it 'Mummy Mountain', "cause it looks like a 'mummy" in profile - looked at it for a year or two - "I don't see no mummy!" - was drivin' back at dusk one night, just turned south on I-95 off Highway 156, headin' back to 'Vegas' - flyin' back home tomorrow (boo-hoo!!) - took one last look back - "I'll be damn - that mountain up there looks just like a mummy!!"......HA!!!